Why Maintenance Matters: How WordPress 6.4 and cURL Broke Sites

The WordPress 6.4 update in November 2023 revealed significant website issues associated with an outdated cURL operating system library. This affected plugins and critical site functionalities, demonstrating the need for good hosting companies and regular site maintenance. Many hosting companies hadn’t updated their server versions due to economic and customer-related concerns, leading to these issues. The best solution would be to conduct a risk analysis, upgrade hosting services if necessary, and maintain site upkeep – either personally or through a professional service.

Is Your Website an Expense or a Revenue Generator? (Part 2)

Web Design

In part one, I talked about why web designers charge what they do for seemingly "simple" websites. That notion of "simple" probably comes from the idea that if I can type text and drag and drop images into a Word document, then how hard could building a website be? Trust me. I've been building websites for over 22 years now. It's not at all like Word, so it's harder to build a website than even...

Is Your Website an Expense or a Revenue Generator? (Part 1)

Web Design

You may have wondered: Why do web designers charge so much for a "simple" website? You may have also believed that a website is an expense to be minimized, not an investment to be maximized. I get it. I've heard this sentiment dozens of times. It usually goes something like this. "I sent out my request for proposal to see how much I'd be charged to have someone else do it for me. Looks like I...

How to Get Started with the WooCommerce Custom Thank You Page Plugin

eCommerce

Have you ever wondered when the best time to get a customer to buy from your eCommerce site again? How about when they have just completed a purchase? They have already found your products worthy of their attention—and their credit card—so the moment after purchase is a great time to upsell, cross-sell, or capture a new sale of the same item. You could also use the order confirmation/thank you...

Shopping at the Mall Is Dead. Long Live Ecommerce!

eCommerce

The nostalgic days of the 80s and 90s mall experience are over. Online shopping has changed peoples’ expectations and decimated the foot traffic at physical retail spaces. Here’s what retailers can do to save their bottom line.

Do You Really Need To Buy Hosting 5 Years In Advance? No, You Don’t.

Hosting

Steer clear of tempting hosting plans that offer you deep discounts if only you’ll chain yourself to their hosting platform for 2, 3, or even 5 years.

MySQL and WP-Cron Performance Effects in WordPress and WooCommerce

Website Performance

MySQL and WP-Cron performance effects are problems that can really haunt you. This case study shows reasons why the problems occur and how to resolve them.

How We Restored a WordPress Site after a Hacking Incident

Website Security

Have you ever wondered how people restore WordPress after a hack? WordPress is a great piece of content management system technology. It allows the average, non-technical person a chance at publishing anything quickly and cost-effectively. It's very popular for this reason, but that has a downside. The popularity of WordPress also makes it a target for hackers and data thieves. You need to know...